Patience

Last week we wrote about the first impressions. This week as we think about the next set of impressions, the first thing that comes to mind is “patience.” Everything takes time, and lots of it. In Malawi they say: “The white people have the watch, and the Malawians have the time.” We are finding this to be true. We witness it on the jobsite in front of the guesthouse.

Watching the construction crew

We witness it in the store when we see 30 people stand in line for half an hour, so they can get a loaf of bread, straight out of the oven.

We also witness it in every office or business that we walk in to. Taking lots of time to say hello is important. Soon after, you hear: “Please sir, have a seat.” That way you can at least wait comfortably.

The Autoparts store

Today we picked up the car that we have bought. A used Toyota Landcruiser, bought from Avis. It takes an hour and a half at Avis, two and a half hours at the “license office”, another hour and a half at Avis, (as they parked the car inside, and have the doors locked from 12 to 1:30, no exceptions) another hour at the Auto part store, where they make and install license plates, and ONLY a half an hour at the insurance company.) Mr Paundedi, our director of programs, was surprised to see us come home at 4:45 and have everything accomplished concerning this new vehicle, in one day. (Credit goes to Brilliant, who is in charge of the “vehicles department” at Timotheos) As a way of trying to deal with the amount of time that everything takes, I made a point of having a few people meet us today, wherever we were, and therefore we also accomplished some other things.

Putting the plates on our “new-to-us” vehicle

Another experience in this regard is, that we were hoping to move to our house in Mpemba next week, but the painter who had said that he was going to be done in 7 days, will now take 14 days. He needs to take this long, in order to provide a quality job, he says. We cannot argue with that, so we have asked him to try for 11 days. So all in all, we are training on our patience. We have been assured, that when you get used to the pace of life here, it is actually relaxing.

We were allowed to test the alarm system that was installed into our home.

We realize for a “westerner” this almost sounds negative, but it is not. Here it is very important to build relationships, and the best way by doing that is taking time for each other, whether this is at home, at church or by doing business. We are getting used to not get to the point when you walk in, but to ask how someone is doing, or how the family is doing, before you get to the point. This is probably something we all should learn, as relationships are not as important as they should be. We have become so efficient that we can only think of the things we need to accomplish, rather than the people that we have to accomplish them with, or for.

We have had several Timotheos meetings this week in which we have brainstormed about job descriptions, and shifting responsibilities. We also have interviewed and hired some security guards for the compound in Mpemba. And we have bought a car. So again, it has been a week in which we have accomplished and learned lots, and we are thankful for the many ways that God has helped us, and prepared us for what lies ahead.

Greetings, The Oomen Family